Take-off equipment for plate shears



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Unite States atent TAKE-OFF EQUIPMENT FOR PLATE SHEARS Elray W. Menk, Chicago, 11]., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 24, 1953, Serial No. 338,270

7 Claims. (Cl. 164-47) This invention relates to improved take-off equipment for plate shears.

An object of the invention is to provide improved take-01f equipment which is adapted both to support plate lengths during a shearing operation and to facilitate subsequent delivery of the sheared lengths to other handling equipment.

A further object is to provide improved take'ofi equipment which in addition facilitates introducing a plate to a, shear, but which can be lowered to a position where it does not interfere with the subsequent shearing operation.

A more specific object is to provide improved take-off equipment which includes a vertically movable pneumatically operated table situated immediately behind a set of shear knives and a transfer table situated beyond the first table and cooperable therewith for supporting sheared plates and facilitating their removal from the shear.

Another object is to provide an improved counterbalanced transfer table especially adapted to support plates of relatively long length as they are sheared and to tilt to conform to the rake of the shear knives.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, preferred forms of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plate shear which has one form of take-off equipment constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view showing the position of a plate as it is introduced to the shear and take-off equipment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the position after the shearing operation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, but showing a modification used for shearing relatively short length plates;

Figure 5 is an end elevational view showing the position of a plate as it is introduced to the shear and take-off equipment shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the position after the shearing operation;

Figure 7 is a top plan view on a larger scale of the vertically movable table common to the forms of both Figures 1 and 4;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the table shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of this table taken on line IX-IX of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the transfer table used in the form shown in Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale of this transfer table taken on line XI--XI of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view illustrating one of the casters on which this table is supported;

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the transfer table used in the form shown in Figure 4;

Patented May 28, 1957 Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the transfer table shown in Figure 13 Figure 15 is a side elevational view on a larger scale of one of the legs of the table shown in Figure 13;

Figure 16 is an end elevational view of the leg shown in Figure 15; and

Figure 17 is a schematic front elevational view of the operating circuit for the table shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9.

Figures 1 to 6 show somewhat schematically a plate shear 10 which includes upper nad lower knives 12 and 13, a table 14 on the entry side of said knives, and a housing 15 on the exit side. Plates P are introduced between the knives from the table 14. When a plate is positioned for cutting, the portion beyond the knives is of the length desired in the sheared plate. The shear has mechanism not shown for lowering and raising the upper knife 12 and thus making a cut. Shears of such construction are well known and per se are not part of the present invention, sothat no more detailed showing is deemed necessary. i

In accordance with both embodiments of the present invention, a table 16 is situated within the housing 15 immediately behind the. exit side of the knives 12 and 13. As best shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, this table includes a vertically movable top section 17, the upper surface of which carries a number of balls or casters 18 to facilitate movement of plates thereacross. The exit edge of this top section preferably carries a plurality of rollers 19. The top section 17 is supported on a pair of double-acting pneumatimpistons and cylinders 20 which are situated adjacent its opposite ends and rest on a base plate 21. The connections between the top section and the piston rods preferably include shear pins 22 (Figure 8), which are adapted to break if an excessive load is placed on the table. Preferably the floor beneath the base plate 21 contains a pit 23, and the central part of said base plate is supported on a column or strut 24 located within said pit.

Figure 17 shows schematically a preferred pneumatic circuit for operating the cylinders 20. The circuit includes an air supply line 25 which has branches 25a and 25b leading to these cylinders and to the shear respectively. The branch 25a contains a regulator, filter and lubricator, indicated schematically at 26, and extends to a hand operated four-way valve 27. Lines 28 and 29 connect this valve to the tops and bottoms respectively of the cylinders 20. Preferably the lines 28 and 29 contain speed control valves situated ahead of each cylinder. The four-way valve 27 has a position in which it admits air to cylinders 20 to lower the top section 17 of the table 16 and another position in which itadmits air to the cylinders to raise the top section. The branch 25]; contains a cam operated three-way valve 31 and a shear operators three-way foot pedal valve 32, and terminates at an air cylinder 33 at the shear clutch. The underside of the top section 17 carries a cam 34 which is cooperable with the valve 31. This valve is normally closed and thus normally prevents operation of the shear clutch. The valve opens only when the top section 17 is lowered sutficiently that its cam 34 engages the operating lever of the valve. Therefore the shear cannot be operated until the top section is lowered. The individual items of the pneumatic circuit, such as the various valves, per se are not part of the present invention but can be of any standard or desired construction, and therefore are not shown in detail.

Preferably the table 16 includes an equalizer which connects opposite ends of its top section 17 to assure that they move up and down at the same rate and by the same amount. Referring again to Figures 7, 8 and 1 9, the equalizer illustrated includes a pair of fixed guideways 35, which are carried by the base plate 21 adjacent opposite ends of the top section 17, and a pair of legs 36, which depend from the top section and are received in said guideways. The inner opposed faces of the guideways have vertical slots 37 and they carry pulley brackets 38 in each of which a quadruple pulley block 39 is rot-atably mounted, one adjacent each end of the table. The inner opposed faces of the legs 36 also are slotted to receive the pulley blocks. A pair of cables 40 are dead-ended to the bottom of the leg 36 on the right, pass over two of the pulleys of the pulley block 39 at the right, extend .to the left and downwardly under the table top, pass under two of the pulleys of the block 39 at the left, and are dead-ended at the top of the leg 36 on the left. A second pair of cables are reeved the opposite way; that is, they are dead-ended at the bottom of the leg at the left, pass over the pulleys at the left, under the pulleys at the right, and are dead-ended at the top of the leg at the right.

Figures 1, 2, 3, 10, l1 and 12 show one form of trans fer table 41 which can be used in cooperation with the pneumatically operated table 16 for handling longer sheared lengths (for example those over eight feet long).

The transfer table 41 has a rigid frame which includes a base 42, a pair of vertically extending guides 43 at opposite ends of said base adjacent its entry side, a second pair of vertically extending guides 44 at opposite ends of the base adjacent its exit side, a pair of horizontal beams 45 extending between the guides 43 and 44, and uprights 46 between the base and said beams. A carrier 47 is supported for vertical movement in the guides '43, having depending legs 48 received in said guides. The upper end of the carrier 47 supports a plurality of rollers 49. A second carrier 50 is supported for vertical movement in the guides 44, having legs 51 received in these latter guides. The carrier '50 has a table top 52, the upper surface of which contains a plurality of balls or casters 53, and the exit edge of which carries rollers 54. The two carriers 47 and 50 are interconnected to furnish a counterbalancing action. The connection includes a pair of levers 55, each of which is pivoted to a different one of the uprights 46 extends through slots 56 and 57 in the guides 43 and 44 respectively, and has slotted pivotal connections 58 and 59 at its ends with the lower ends of the legs 48 and 51.

Preferably the underside of the base 42 carries casters 60 to enable the transfer table to be moved about readily. The table also has vertically movablev feet 61 which are mounted on screw-threaded jacks 62. The latter are supported in brackets 63 fixed to the guides 43 and 44. When it is desired to hold the table in a fixed location, the jacks 62 are turned down so that the feet 6 1 engage the supporting surface beneath the table.

'In operation, the transfer table 41 is positioned beyond the exit side of the table 16 with its jacks 62 lowered as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. of the table 16 initially is in its raised position, Where it is at the level of the shear knife 13. (Figure 2). A plate P is introduced, being fed over the table 14, between the shear knives, over the table '16, and on to the carriers 47 and 50 of the transfer table 41. The plate rests on the balls or casters 18 and the rollers 19 on the top section 17, the right hand rollers '49 on the carrier 47, and the rollers 54 on the carrier 50, which cooperate to allow the plate to be moved to the shearing position with a minimum of frictional resistance and knife dulling drag on the lower shear knife.

After the desired length of plate has been fed through the knives, the four-way valve 27 is operated to cause the cylinders and pistons 20 to lower the top section 17. The leading endportion of the plate P remains supported on the transfer table 41, mainly on the rollers 49 of the carrier 47 and the rollers 54 of the carrier 50. When the top section 17 is fully lowered, the cam 34 opens the valve 31, after which the operator can open-the valve 32 to-lower the upper' shear knife-12 The top section 17 and thus shear the plate. As the plate is sheared, the carrier 47 depresses simultaneously allowing the plate to tilt sideways to conform to the rake of the upper knife. At the same time the counterbalancing action of the levers '55 raises the carrier 50 a proportionate distance. The sheared length can be removed readily, since it is supported on the various rollers and casters of the takeoff equipment. After the upper shear knife returns to its normal position and the sheared plate length is removed, the equipment can be reset merely by operating the four-way valve 27 to raise the top section 17.

Figures 4, 5, 6, 13, 14,15 and 16 show a modified transfer table 64 which is somewhat simplified and can be used in cooperation with the pneumatic table 16 for handling shorter sheared lengths (for example those under eight feet long). Table 64 includes a top 65, the upper surface of which carries a plurality of balls or v casters 66 and the exit edge of which carries one or more rollers 67. The table 64 has relatively long vertically adjustable legs 68 at its entry end, relatively short vertically adjustable legs 69 at its exit end, and wheels 70 at its mid-portion. The transfer table '64 is used in a manner similar to the transfer table 41, already described, except that it remains at a constant angle of tilt determined by the position of adjustment of its legs 68 and 69.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that the present invention furnishes simple easily operated mechanismfor handling plates during a shearing operation. The handling equipment is positively interlocked with the shear to permit operation of the latter only when the handling equipment is properly positioned.

' While two embodiments of my invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

"I claim:

1. The combination, with a plate shear, of take-off equipment comprising a table situated immediately adjacent said shear on the exit side thereof and having a vertically movable top section, a transfer table situated beyond the exit side of said first named table and cooperable therewith to support a plate during and after shearing, and antifriction means on said tables to facilitate movement of a plate thereacross, said transfer t-able including a rig-id frame, a pair of carriers mounted for vertical movement on said frame, and a counterbalancing connection between said carriers adapted to raise either carrier when the other is lowered.

2. The combination, with a plate shear, of take-off equipment comprising a table situated immediately adjacent said shear on the exit side thereof and having a vertically movable top section, a transfer table situated beyond the exit side of said first named table and cooperable therewith to support a plate during and after shearing, and antifriction means on said tables to facilitate movement of a plate thereacross, said transfer table including a rigid frame having sets of vertical guideways at its entry and exit sides, a carrier mounted for vertical movement in the guideways at the entry side, a second carrier mounted for vertical movement in the guideways at the exit side, and a lever pivoted to said frame and having slotted and pivotal connections at its opposite ends with said carriers to furnish a counterbalancing action.

3. The combination, with a pneumatically operated plate shear, of take-off equipment comprising a table situated immediately adjacent said shear on the exit side thereof and having a vertically movable top section and pneumatic means for raising and lowering said top section, a transfer table situated beyond the exit side'of Said first named table and cooperable therewith to support a plate during and after shearing, antifriction means on the supporting surfaces of said tables to facilitate movement of a plate thereacross, and an interlock between the pneumatic operating means of said shear and of said first named table to prevent operation of said shear unless the table is lowered.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3 in which said interlock includes a valve in the pneumatic circuit to said shear and a cam carried by said movable top section for operating said valve.

5. The combination, with a plate shear, of take-off equipment comprising a table situated immediately adjacent said shear on the exit side thereof and including a vertically movable top section, antifriction means on the upper surface and exit edge of said top section, and pneumatic means for raising and lowering said top section, and a transfer table situated beyond the exit side of said first named table and cooperable therewith to support a plate during shearing, said transfer table including a rigid frame having two sets of vertical guideways adjacent its entry and exit sides, a carrier mounted for vertical movement in the guideways adjacent the entry side, a second carrier mounted for vertical movement in the guideways adjacent the exit side, a lever pivoted to said frame and having slotted and pivotal connections at its opposite ends with said carriers to furnish a counterbalancing action, and :antifriction means carried on the upper surfaces of each of said carriers.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which the antifriction means on said first named carrier include rollers mounted on the top thereof, and said second named carrier includes a table top and the antifriction means thereon includes a plurality of balls mounted in the upper surface thereof and rollers mounted at the exit edge.

7. A combination as defined in claim 3 in which said transfer table includes a rigid frame, a pair of carriers mounted for vertical movement on said frame, and a counterbalancing connection between said carriers adapted to raise either carrier when the other is lowered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 471,824 Naylor Mar. 29, 1892 707,951 Alexander Aug. 26, 1902 810,845 Cromwell June 23, 1906 923,109 Biggert May 25, 1909 1,298,185 Dodson Mar. 25, 1919 2,105,142 Forsythe Jan. 11, 1938 2,603,338 Fried July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,279 Great Britain 1912 

